US to host virtual meeting on Afghanistan: State Department

Washington DC [US], August 30 (ANI): The United States will hold a virtual meeting on Afghanistan on Monday (local time), informed the US State Department, adding that Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to give a public statement later on the same day.

“On Monday, August 30, 2021, the United States will host a virtual ministerial meeting with key partners on Afghanistan, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Qatar, the European Union, and NATO. The participants will discuss an aligned approach for the days and weeks ahead,” the State Department statement read.

According to State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, Blinken discussed Afghanistan and the issue of safe passage for Afghans and foreign nationals following the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

“Later in the afternoon [on Monday], Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will deliver remarks on our efforts [in Afghanistan] since August 14 and discuss the way forward,” the State Department informed in a separate statement.

Meanwhile, the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden has been postponed from August 31 to September 1 due to the nearly-finished evacuation of Americans from Kabul, Mykhailo Podolyak, according to an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, reported Sputnik.

Afghanistan’s situation is deteriorating as people rush to leave the nation after the Taliban seized control over a week ago. On August 15, the Afghan government fell soon after President Ashraf Ghani left the nation.

Countries have been evacuating their citizens from the war-torn nation speedily. The Kabul airport is witnessing nowadays a heavy chaos due to instability in the region. (ANI)